Telavi Wine Cellar
MARANI of TELAVI
by
Kathy Sullivan
Summary: Telavi Wine Cellar, a large winery in Georgia, was founded in the early 20th century. In the latter part of the 20th century the company was privatized. The new management now focuses on producing quality wines.
Telavi Wine Cellar was started in 1915 and privatized by two owners in 1997. The winery has its own vineyards at an elevation of 150 meters (492 feet) to 650 meters (2,132 feet.) This location has the perfect conditions for winemaking. Today Telavi Wine Cellar produces 3,500,000 bottles. They are expanding their production, as current production does not meet demand for their wines.
Vineyards
The Telavi Wine Cellar vineyards are located in the Kakheti region that has seven major vineyard appellations. Grape varieties include Saperavi, Mujuretuli, Usakhelaurin (pictured), Rkatsiteli, Mtsvane, Kisi, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot and Chardonnay. The Kondoli vineyards have 240 hectares (593 acres) of vines. The vineyard has about 30 percent white grapes and 70 percent red grapes.
Our Visit
At the time of our September visit, several loads of Rkatsiteli grapes were being delivered to the winery. The grapes were weighed and tested for Brix levels. The tractor dumped the trailer load of grapes into a hopper, where they were destemmed and then pressed. We were given a sample of the grapes. They were sweet with dark brown seeds. Outside of the winery there are stainless steel tanks used for fermentation. In the barrel room, French oak barrels are used for aging some of the wines.
Wine Tastings
Visitors to Telavi Wine Cellar will discover that wine tastings are selected based on the groups interest. For our visit to Telavi Wine Cellars we joined a wine tourism group from the United Kingdom. The first wines tasted were under the Marani label. The Marani label has a drawing of a clay relief of a person carrying two amphorae. Currently they are uncertain of the century from which the relief originated.
Mtsvane 2011 was a light yellow color. The wine offered a floral aroma with hints of daisies and citrus notes. The taste had minerality, floral and citrus nuances. The finish was crisp and citrusy. Tsinandali 2011 was produced with Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane. The grapes were from the winery’s vineyards. The wine was aged in oak for five to six months. The wine was a straw color with yellow stone fruit notes specifically peach with pineapple yielding to melon. The finish was crisp with fruit yielding to a hint of minerality.
Two wines from Kondoli vineyards were tasted. The Mtsvane-Kisi 2012 was a straw color. The aroma had tropical notes. The taste reminded one of peach, pineapple and mango. The finish was crisp and fruity. Rkatsiteli 2011 was produced with 100 percent Rkatsiteli grapes using indigenous yeast. The light yellow wine had yellow stone fruit yielding to a hint of honey on the aftertaste.
Saperavi non-vintage was a dark ruby color. The aroma and taste had cherry and dark fruit notes. There was a hint of cinnamon on the taste. The finish was fruity with tannins. Saperavi/Cabernet 2011 was a dark ruby color. The wine had dark fruit notes with hints of black cherry and blackberries. The finish had bold tannins. Mukuzani 2009 was produced with Saperavi. The color was dark ruby and the taste offered dark fruit notes. The finish had bold, chewy tannins with a fruity finish, and a hint of spice. Kondoli Vineyards 2010 was made with Saperavi and was a dark ruby color. The aroma was of dark fruits with hints of black cherry. The taste was of blackberries with a hint of leather. The finish was fruity with bold tannins.
Qvevri Wines
Satrapezo 2011 was produced with Mtsvane grapes. The grapes were sorted, destemmed and place in qvevri. During fermentation the cap was punched down two times daily. After five months of maceration, the wine was racked to oak barrels for further aging. The wine was a gold color with yellow stone fruit notes and tannins.
Wine Exports
Telavi Wine Cellar exports their wines to Russia, Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Byelorussia, Switzerland, Netherlands, Germany, United States, New Zealand and Kazakhstan.
Whether visiting Georgia (Sakartvelo) or at a wine shop, ask about Telavi Wine Cellar wines.
Telavi Wine CellarKurdgelauri, Telavi, 2200, Kakheti, Georgia
